Saturday, November 29, 2008

59-hour Mumbai terror Ends !!!

Scores of hostages Friday finally walked out of the two hotels and the Jewish center.

Fourteen militants were killed, while one has been captured.

India's longest terror nightmare that lasted for almost 59 hours ended Saturday as commandos from the National Security Guard (NSG), the Indian Army and the Indian Navy eliminated three militants who had taken over the iconic Taj Mahal hotel.

"Finally, we have been able to win the battle and do the job (assigned to us)," NSG head J.K. Dutt told reporters.

Saturday was the culmination of a four-day anti-militant operation that began Wednesday evening when several armed men, probably two dozen and armed with grenades and automatic rifles, sneaked into the city by boat.

On Friday, the commandos first took control of the Oberoi hotel and then the Jewish center. Thousands living all around the building took to the streets, shouting slogans and hailing the security forces.

But the three gunmen at the Taj Mahal held on despite being outnumbered by well-trained commandos.

A total of 25 explosions, small and big, were heard in the hotel all through Friday, and gunfire rattled the hotel and fires frequently erupted from different rooms, IANS reported.